Studying abroad will change your life, according to an International Education of Students (IES) study. However, seeking travel recommendations from others and sharing photos with family and friends can be tedious with so many platforms available. That’s where Gone Abroad comes in.

Gone Abroad is the first mobile app for students studying abroad that allows them to post and organize their travel photos, share and receive recommendations, and geographically sort friends based on where they have been and to where they are traveling.

“Users will be able to see who else is studying abroad at the same time they are and will be able to connect with one another directly through the platform,” Co-Founder Evan Bloom said. “Through this functionality, we establish a network effect and allow our users to share their experiences and recommendations to their friends and loved ones.”

Although there are other travel apps in the market, Gone Abroad allows users to connect with and receive direct advice from those they know and trust.

Bloom got the idea for the app while studying abroad with his co-founder, Ilan Bagel, in Sydney, Australia. They had run into a friend from back home who also happened to be abroad, and during those next few days, that friend became their personal tour guide and completely transformed Bloom and Bagel’s travel experience.

“We realized how much more valuable travel recommendations are from people that you know,” Bloom said. “We created Gone Abroad to fulfill this purpose for anyone traveling, and to hear suggestions from friends.”

After the two came up with the app idea, they took it to a development team in India to which they were connected through a family friend. The team brought Gone Abroad to iOS and Android platforms and released its first test launch in November 2018.

“Taking an idea from a concept to an actual product is extremely difficult,” Bloom said. “If you look at where Gone Abroad is now vs. where it was when we first sketched the platform, it looks extremely different. It took us almost 18 months of constant changes and improvements to get to where Gone Abroad is today, and we know that we have only scratched the surface of where we hope to take the platform.”

Since the app’s initial launch, more than 400 users have downloaded Gone Abroad. According to Bloom, this figure has been growing by 40 percent month over month due to organic marketing practices. The app has received an abundance of positive feedback from users claiming how helpful the app has been on their travel ventures abroad.

Bloom did not disclose how the firm generates revenue. He hopes to continue growing the app’s reach and helping other travelers. After hiring a full-time graphic designer and software engineer, the company is now in the process of raising capital.

“We have a very driven team that is motivated by our users and our passion for travel,” Bloom said. “We all believe in Gone Abroad’s mission and cooperate very well as we work to achieve that goal.”

The team is currently working on launching a second redesign that will change the look and feel of the app. Gone Abroad also has been recently accepted into the Merlin Mentors Program, where they are linked with three mentors that will help evolve the company’s future business plan.

Once the redesign is launched, users will be able to log in with an email address or through Facebook, automatically connecting them with friends already using the app.  After logging in, users can scroll through the home page to see where their friends went and what they did while traveling abroad. Users planning a solo trip can search what their friends suggested and build a portfolio of recommendations.

In the next five years, Bloom hopes to help not only students but all travelers looking for a great resource to use on their next trip.

“We want people to make the most out of their experience no matter where they go and the amount of time they are there,” Bloom said. “Memories are made not just from the experiences you have but the people you share them with. Gone Abroad brings traveling and sharing together to create these memories.”